M16/M4 Handbook
By Erik Lawrence and Mike Pannone
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M16/M4 Handbook - Erik Lawrence
B.C.
CHAPTER 1
RIFLE SPECIFICATIONS
The M4 Carbine is a 5.56x45mm lightweight, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire shoulder-fired assault rifle. The M4 fires from a closed bolt in either semiautomatic or three-round-burst mode while the M4A1 is either semiautomatic or full-automatic and is generally a special operations-specific model.
M4/M4A1
CALIBER- 5.56X45mm NATO
WEIGHT WITHOUT MAGAZINE- 5.9 pounds (2.68 kg)
EMPTY 30-ROUND MAGAZINE- 0.25 pounds (0.11 kg)
LOADED 30-ROUND MAGAZINE- 1 pound (0.45 kg)
OVERALL LENGTH-
33 inches (84 cm) Stock Extended
29.8 inches (76 cm) Stock Retracted
BARREL LENGTH- 14.5 inches (37 cm)
BORE CHARACTERISTICS- Hard chrome-lined, 6 Lands
METHOD OF OPERATION- Gas-direct system; rotating bolt
MUZZLE VELOCITY- 2800 feet/second (884 meters/second)
MUZZLE ENERGY- 1215 foot-pounds
EFFECTIVE RANGE- 600 meters
FRONT SIGHT- Adjustable front
REAR SIGHT- M16A4 target-style sight adjustable for windage and elevation to 600 meters
SIGHT RADIUS- 14.5 inches (37 cm)
CYCLIC RATE OF FIRE- 700-950 rpm
FIRE CONTROL SELECTION- Safe - Semi - Burst/Full Auto
UPPER RECEIVER- Flat top with detachable carrying handle
M16A2/A3/A4
CALIBER- 5.56X45mm NATO
WEIGHT WITHOUT MAGAZINE- 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg)
EMPTY 30-ROUND MAGAZINE- 0.25 pounds (0.11 kg)
LOADED 30-ROUND MAGAZINE- 1 pound (0.45 kg)
OVERALL LENGTH- 39.6 inches (1 m)
BARREL LENGTH- 20 inches (51 cm)
BORE CHARACTERISTICS- Hard chrome-lined, 6 Lands
METHOD OF OPERATION- Gas-direct system; rotating bolt
MUZZLE VELOCITY- 3110 feet/second (948 meters /second)
MUZZLE ENERGY- 1325 foot-pounds
EFFECTIVE RANGE- 600 meters
FRONT SIGHT- Adjustable front
REAR SIGHT- M16A4 target-style sight adjustable for windage and elevation to 600 meters
SIGHT RADIUS- 19.75 inches (50 cm)
CYCLIC RATE OF FIRE- 700-950 rpm
FIRE CONTROL SELECTION- Safe - Semi - Burst/Full Auto
UPPER RECEIVER- Flat top with detachable carrying handle
The barrel rifling twists vary from the original 1 turn in 12 inches (1/12) on the first M16 series guns shooting 55-grain bullets, to the current 1/7 twist on the M16A2/A4 service rifle and M4 Carbine. The faster twist is necessary to stabilize the longer, heavier SS109 62-grain bullet with steel penetrator used in M855 ammunition.
CHAPTER 2
DIRECT - IMPINGEMENT GAS SYSTEM THEORY
The M4/AR-15 family of weapons uses a direct-impingement gas system which does not utilize a gas piston. When a round is discharged, the bullet passes the gas port in the barrel where gas is tapped off into the gas tube and redirected back to the bolt carrier key. The gas enters the gas carrier key and is channeled into an expansion chamber in the bolt carrier. The gas is trapped between the rear portion of the expansion chamber and the gas rings towards the rear of the bolt. As the gas expands, it is contained by the bolt gas rings and acts on the bolt carrier, pushing it to the rear, and operating the bolt cam pin in the bolt carrier’s cam surface. As the bolt carrier moves to the rear, the bolt rotates 22.5 degrees clockwise, unlocks, and begins extraction of the expended cartridge case.
Variants- Numerous variants are available throughout the country and world, and nearly all work the same way. The key to keeping this system running reliably, with minimum maintenance, is ensuring that all the critical parts related to extraction and ejection and prone to wear are serviceable. These parts are extractor and spring, ejector and spring, gas rings, and buffer spring. If all these are in good serviceable condition and relatively clean, the M4 Carbine is extremely reliable.
NOTE
The buffer in the M4 should be marked with an H
for heavy. This is a heavier buffer and aids in reliability by slowing down the cyclic rate. This point is covered in depth in Chapter 8.
Figure 2-1 Direct-Impingement Gas System prior to firing
Figure 2-2 Direct-Impingement Gas System during firing
CHAPTER 3
BALLISTICS
BALLISTICS
The study of the flight characteristics of projectiles (bullets).
TRAJECTORY
The path of a moving body (bullet) while in flight.
HOLDS
(hold-over/hold-under and windage hold left or right)
How far you must place your aiming point over, under, left, or right of the desired point of impact to achieve a hit.
EXTERNAL BALLISTICS
Soldiers must understand the basics of external ballistics so they can make necessary scope adjustments or hold compensations